Foldered & Finished: White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection

Posted on July 5, 2019 by Amanda Dietz

The White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection (1958-1972) is processed and ready for researchers. The finding aid for the papers and digitized selections are now available on DigitalCommons@ACU.

“The Pentateuch” outline, box 21, folder 14, White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection, 1958-1972. Center for Restoration Studies MS#471. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching was founded in 1964 in West Monroe, Louisiana as part of a wave of schools of preaching founded in the 1960s in response to the lacuna that was preaching vacancies. The school of Preaching was pietistic in its theological approach. The curriculum was heavily bibliocentric with, essentially, all of its documents explicitly or implicitly pertaining to the biblical text. White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching closed in 1992, however, the latest documents within this collection date to 1972.

“Bible Introduction,” box 1, folder 2, White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching Collection, 1958-1972. Center for Restoration Studies MS#471. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

This collection contains documents from the White’s Ferry Road School of Preaching which includes syllabi, lesson plans, lecture manuscripts, sermons, polemics and apologetic materials. Materials included within this collection were used for classes at the school of preaching. Most documents within this collection are either loosely exegetical or homiletic materials concerning the biblical text. A smaller portion of the collection is devoted to practical theological matters concerning the Churches of Christ as well as apologetic and polemic materials. The most prolific contributors to this collection of texts include Ed Sanders, William H. Smith, Harold G. Taylor, and J.J. Turner. Other notable authors whose documents are included within this collection are J.D. Bales, L.V. Pfeifer, and Paul C. Witt.

Foldered & Finished: Edward Washington McMillan Papers

Posted on June 28, 2019 by Amanda Dietz

The Edward Washington McMillan Papers (1863-1986) are processed and ready for researchers. The finding aid for the papers and digitized selections are now available on DigitalCommons@ACU.

Photograph of Edward Washington McMillan at Columbia Christian College, Box 20, Folder Pictures: glossy and finished, Edward Washington McMillan Papers, 1863-1986. Center for Restoration Studies MS #17. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Edward Washington McMillan, a minister, author, and editor, was born in Baden, Texas on September 27, 1889. He attended Gunter Bible College, Austin College, Baylor University, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Preached in the majority of the United States and in Japan, China, Korea, and India. Founded Ibaraki Christian College in Japan and served as president. McMillan served as president of Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas. He served in Churches of Christ in Waco, Cleburne, Abilene, Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Garland, Texas; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; and in Santa Ana and Whittier, California. He served as a part of the ACC Bible faculty from 1929-1934. McMillan died at the age of 101 in 1992 and is buried at Holloway Cemetery south of Sherman, Texas.

Brotherly Love sermon outline dated 1 November 1942, Box 11, Folder Sermons Union Avenue Church May 1942, Edward Washington McMillan Papers, 1863-1986. Center for Restoration Studies MS #17. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

This collection consists of the personal papers of E.W. McMillan. Includes personal correspondence, books, photographs, scrapbooks, sermons, lectures, notes, and teaching materials. Also contains Ibaraki Christian College papers, film strips, slides, plaques, certificates, a ceremonial Bible, and a pair of geta.

Foldered & Finished: Thomas Wesley Rogers Papers

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Amanda Dietz

The Thomas Wesley Rogers Papers (1962-1985) are processed and ready for researchers. The finding aid for the papers and digitized selections are now available on DigitalCommons@ACU.

The Korean Reporter newsletter December 1965, Box 1, File #2, Thomas Wesley Rogers Papers, 1962-1985. Center for Restoration Studies MS #271. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Thomas Wesley Rogers was born on September 30, 1900, in Fayetteville, Tennessee. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Birmingham–Southern College (Birmingham, Alabama) in 1927, a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) in 1928, and a Juris Doctor from DePaul University (Chicago, Illinois) in 1948. Rogers served as a professor and taught business and economics at Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa) from 1928-1929, Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana) from 1929-1941, and as a visiting professor at David Lipscomb College (Nashville, Tennessee), and the University of Texas (Austin, Texas). He also worked as an economist for the American Finance Corporation (1938-1964). Rogers served as an elder and as the Chair of the Missions Committee at the Otter Creek Church of Christ (Nashville, Tennessee).

The Korean Reporter July-August 1966 newsletter, Box 1, File #3, Thomas Wesley Rogers Papers, 1962-1985. Center for Restoration Studies MS #271. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

This collection includes correspondence with missionaries, mission reports (e.g., The Korean Reporter), and financial records concerning Churches of Christ mission work in Korea, and Korea Christian College (1962-1971). These materials were arranged and annotated by Thomas Wesley Rogers while serving as the Chair of the Missions Committee at Otter Creek Church of Christ (Nashville, Tennessee). Additionally, there are bulletins from the Otter Creek Church of Christ (1970; 1980-1985).

Additional resources from ACU Special Collections and Archives on Korea:

Cha, Kilnam, “The Exodus: Then and Now: The Book of Exodus and Its Role in Korea’s Democratization Movement” (2009). Lectureship and Summit Audio Collection. 785.
Chessir, Haskell, “Teaching the word of God in Korea” (1960). Lectureship and Summit Audio Collection. 5160.
Church of Christ Mission Photography Collection
Edward Washington McMillan Papers, 1863-1986. Center for Restoration Studies MS #17. Milliken Special Collections, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.)
- McMillan worked extensively Japan but also preached in Korea and surrounding countries.